INTRODUCTION:

           Prion illnesses are a group of uncommon neurodegenerative conditions that afflict humans and animals. Long incubation periods, spongiform alterations linked with neuronal death, and a failure to elicit an inflammatory response characterise them. Prions are thought to be the cause of TSEs (transmissible spongiform encephalopathies).

          The functions of these normal prion proteins are still being researched. The aberrant folding of prion proteins causes brain damage and the disease's typical signs and symptoms. Prion illnesses are usually deadly and advance quickly.

WHAT ARE PRIONS?

       Proteinaceous infectious particles are referred to as Prion. Prions are infectious organisms that cause a variety of neurological disorders in mammals, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Prions cause improper folding of normal proteins in the brain, specifically the misfolding of prion proteins (PrP). Prion affects both humans and animals, and infected meat products can sometimes spread the disease to humans..

Structure of Prions

HOW CAN YOU GET PRION DISEASES?

          You can get prion diseases in three ways:

·          ACQUIRED:

           Exposure to abnormal PrP from an outside source may occur through contaminated food or medical equipment.

·         INHERITED:

           Mutations present in the gene that codes for PrP leads to the production of misfolded PrP.

·         NATURALLY:

          Misfolded PrP may develop without any known cause.

Prion infection transmission

TPYES OF PRION DISEASES:

           Prion diseases can occur in both humans and animals. Both have disease characterized in different types. Some of them are listed below:

Human prion diseases are:

1.          Fatal Familial insomnia (FFI)
2.         Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS)
3.          Kuru
4.          Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD)
5.          Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)

Animal prion diseases are:

1.          Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)
2.          Chronic wasting disease (CWD)
3.          Scrapie
4.          Feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE)
5.         Transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME)
6.          Ungulate spongiform encephalopathy

SYMPTOMS:

        The following are some of the symptoms of prion diseases:

• Dementia that progresses quickly
• Walking difficulties and changes in gait
• Hallucinations
• Muscle tenseness
• Personality morphs (Confusion, Difficulty speaking, Depression, Disorientation)
• Fatigue

DIAGNOSIS:

       Prions have symptoms that are similar to those of other neurological illnesses, making them difficult to identify. The only way to diagnose it is by a post-mortem brain biopsy. A medical specialist, on the other hand, can diagnose it using symptoms, your medical history, and many tests. These tests include the following:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a type of imaging that (MRI) A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan can produce a precise image of your brain. This can aid healthcare workers in visualising prion disease-related alterations in brain structure.
• CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) testing CSF can be collected and analysed for neurodegeneration-related indicators. A test for detecting signs of human prion disease was developed in 2015.
• Electroencephalography (EEG) is a type of brain imaging (EEG) This test records your brain's electrical activity

TREATMENT:

        There is presently no treatment for prion illnesses, however medication can help keep the disease at bay. Scientists are still trying to develop a treatment for prion illnesses. Anti-prion antibodies and "anti-prions (Trusted Source)" that prevent the reproduction of aberrant PrP are among the potential therapeutics being studied.

CAN PRIONS BE PREVENTED?

           Properly cleaning and sterilizing medical equipment may prevent the spread of the disease. If you have or may have CJD, do not donate organs or tissue, including corneal tissue. Newer regulations that govern the handling and feeding of cows may help prevent the spread of prion diseases. There’s currently no way to prevent inherited or sporadic forms of prion disease. If someone in your family has had an inherited prion disease, you may consider consulting with a genetic counselor to discuss your risk of developing the disease.

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE:

        Antibiotics are medicine that are used to prevent and treat infections caused by bacteria. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria's response to antibiotics changes. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause diseases in both people and animals. These diseases are more difficult to treat than those caused by bacteria that aren't resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance raises medical expenses, lengthens hospital stays, and raises fatality rates.

     The world urgently needs to modify how antibiotics are prescribed and used. Antibiotic resistance will always be a danger, even if new medications are developed. Vaccination, hand washing, safer sex, and excellent food hygiene are all examples of behavior modifications that can help prevent the transmission of illnesses.

SCOPE:

       In the world, antibiotic resistance is increasing to a worrisome degree. New resistant mechanisms are arising and spreading around the world, posing a danger to our ability to treat common illnesses. Because medicines are becoming less effective, illnesses such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and gonorrhoea are getting more difficult to cure. Antibiotic resistance is a major worry since some bacteria have developed resistance to practically all of the commonly used antibiotics. These bacteria have the potential to cause significant illness, making them a major public health concern..

TRANSMITION OF RESISTANT BACTERIA:

        Most commonly bacteria transmit through contaminated utensils like in hospitals through

ü  Contact with contaminated surface, syringes, stethoscope, and mainly by hands of hospital staff.

Standard precautions in hospitals are work practices that provide a basic level of infection control for the care of all people, regardless of their diagnosis or presumed infection status.

WAYS TO PREVENT ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE:

       Antibiotic resistance must be controlled urgently to ensure the safety of people's lives; else, the world would soon descend into chaos. Antibiotic resistance is increased, according to the WHO, by antibiotic abuse and overuse, as well as poor infection prevention and control. To lessen the impact and spread of resistance, actions can be taken at all levels of society.

Individuals can help to prevent and limit the spread of antibiotic resistance by:

• Antibiotics should only be used if a doctor has recommended them.
• If your doctor says you don't need antibiotics, don't take them.
• When taking antibiotics, always listen to your doctor's advise.
• Never share or utilise antibiotics that have been left over.

Policymakers can increase policies, programmes, and the implementation of infection prevention and control measures to prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistance.

The health business can invest in research and development of new medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and other instruments to prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic resistance can be prevented and controlled in the agriculture industry by:

• Antibiotics should only be given to animals under veterinary supervision.
• Antibiotics should not be used to promote growth or prevent disease in healthy animals.
• Animals should be vaccinated to limit the need for antibiotics and alternative treatments should be used.

 COVID-19 is a newly discovered virus that is spreading from person to person. Corona virus is a zoonotic virus that causes severe respiratory illnesses in humans. Illnesses that can be transmitted from animals to people are known as zoonotic diseases. Many corona viruses exist in animals, but they have not yet infected humans.

        COVID-19 is the newest strain to infect people. Some human-made viruses cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to severe diseases such as MERS (middle east respiratory syndrome) and SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome).

        SARS-COV-2 is an enclosed, non-segmented, positive-sense RNA virus with a beta corona virus. Corona is divided into four genera: ALPHA, BETA, GAMMA, and DELTA. Alpha and beta viruses can infect mammals, whereas gamma and delta viruses primarily infect birds..

         Corona virus is a member of the coronaviridae family. The name comes from the Latin word "corona," which means "crown." It was discovered for the first time on December 31. COVID-19 (corona virus illness 2019) is communicated from an infected person to a healthy person through coughing or sneezing. After infection, symptoms develop 2 to 14 days later. Fever, shortness of breath, and cough may have developed in some people. Pneumonia and multi-organ failure are possible outcomes. The rate of mobility is roughly 2%. Its spread can be halted by using sanitary measures.

 Corona virus is a plus stranded RNA virus with a big envelope. The ribonucleoprotein (RNP) core of the virion is made up of the biggest genomic RNA of all RNA viruses in conjunction with the nucleocapsid (N) protein.

        The word corona comes from the Latin word "CORONA," which means "CROWN," and was initially used to describe its look as seen through electron microscopy. SPIKES are cup-shaped proteins that cover the body. Corona virus is a big spherical particle with surface projections measuring roughly 120 nm in diameter. In electron micrographs, the viral envelope appears as an unique pair of electron dense shells. A nucleocapsid, which is made up of numerous nucleocapsid proteins, is found inside the envelope. Inside the host cell, the nucleocapsid protects the virus.  

        The lipid with membrane, envelope, and spike protein make up the viral envelope. Structural protein, also known as attached protein, is a subtype of corona virus that has a shorter spike-like surface protein. It is found in members of the BETA CORONA VIRUS subgroup A. When expressed by the virus or alone, the viral surface protein can be detected in downstream compartments of the secretory pathway: M proteins are mostly found in the GOLGI APPRATUS. M protein can also interact with the genomic packing signal-carrying RNA. It's a three-transmembrane domain protein that's hypothesised to give the virion its form.

Corona virus genes are roughly 27 to 34 kilobases in length. Among RNA viruses, this gene has the highest size. 5' UTR, transcriptase spike envelope, membrane, nucleocapsid, and 3'UTR are all present in the genome. Transcriptase is a protein that helps non-structural proteins develop.